Mental Health in America: The Intersection of Mental Health and Justice

Stat: 2 million: The number of times each year that people with mental health conditions—including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and severe depression—are jailed, often for misdemeanor crimes.

Story: Personnel from America’s emergency response systems are on the front lines answering calls from individuals experiencing mental health crises. In this episode of “Mental Health in America,” Julie Wertheimer, project director for Pew’s work on mental health and justice partnerships, discusses the current state of these response systems and their impact on our criminal justice system. Joseph Getch, CEO of PRS, a Virginia nonprofit that provides behavioral health services, and B.J. Wagner, senior vice president of health and public safety with the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute share how 988 and local 911 efforts are working to protect public safety while connecting people to the care they need. 

Related resources:

• How to Connect People in Crisis to the Care They Need
• We Should Keep Talking About Mental Health and Strengthening Connections to Care
• Dallas Program Shows Signs of Effectively Navigating Behavioral Health Emergencies
• Transforming Police Responses to Mental Health Emergencies: Rapid Integrated Group Healthcare Team
• Incarceration Can Cause Lasting Damage to Mental Health